Economic Evaluation of Investment Projects: Determining the Key Factors for Final Investment Decision

Evaluation of investment projects is a crucial part of the investment decision-making process. Although dynamic evaluation techniques are precise and theoretically correct, they can still lead to the wrong investment decision. The main goal of this study was to identify the key drivers of investment projects’ profitability from the point of view of the company, municipality and society. Data on 26 investment projects were gathered and analyzed. The results of the principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the net present value, when compared to the internal rate of return and discounted payback period, represents the key indicator of the profitability of investment projects. Also, PCA showed that the total sales and total costs, when compared to the initial investment and discount rate, represent the key factors that affect the profitability of investment projects. Regression analysis (OLS) confirmed these results since the total sales and total costs have the highest and statistically significant effect on the net present value of investment projects.